Having been a member of Ecademy since September 2006 – it has taken me a long time to become really involved in the networking – mainly because I have been reluctant to get sucked into debates and discussions just for the sake of them. I have to know why I am taking part in things – and online networking can become an addiction in its own right.
I have in the last month only become active on the site and have been amazed and delighted by the response and the general friendliness of everyone here who has bothered to spend a little time communicating with me. My network has grown from a mere 0 to nearly 200 in as little as four weeks and for the most part they are interesting and valuable contacts that I know are going to prove useful at some point or another.
However – I have to be disciplined about how much time I spend on various websites. It is so easy to become involved in discussions and debates that are not really anything to do with earning a living – and although I love the fact that it is about friendships and relationships first – how does anyone maintain a balance?
I know that I have to ration the time I spend ‘chatting’ and I certainly don’t go any where near the internet if I have a deadline to meet – but how does everyone else manage?
Very curious to know!